Plate came off during startup
Airbus plane loses part of its fairing
March 27, 2024, 7:35 a.m
After the series of serious breakdowns involving aircraft from the US manufacturer Boeing, the European competitor Airbus also experienced two worrying incidents within a short period of time. Problems are occurring in both the US and Australia.
Another incident occurred during a flight in the USA – this time a plane from the aircraft manufacturer Airbus was affected. During takeoff from Salt Lake City (Utah), a plate behind one of the two engines came off. The Airbus A330neo, which was on its way to Amsterdam, had to turn back.
The plane landed safely in Salt Lake City after “a reported mechanical issue,” Delta said. There were 260 passengers and 13 crew members on board. Nobody was injured. The incident reportedly occurred on Sunday.
According to a Federal Aviation Administration safety database, a panel behind the engine on the left wing had come loose. A pylon with which the engine was attached to the wing was affected. The fairing panels are not load-bearing, but improve aerodynamics. The Airbus was built in 2020.
Several breakdowns with Airbus and Boeing aircraft
It was at least the third time in the last three months that a component had come loose from a U.S. passenger aircraft. On Jan. 5, a door plug on a new Alaska Airlines plane popped off in mid-air. Two months later, a piece of aluminum skin was missing from a 26-year-old United Airlines plane after landing in Oregon. Both of these incidents involved Boeing 737 aircraft.
Almost at the same time as the incident involving the detached panel at Delta, there were also problems with another Airbus aircraft: On a flight on Monday evening from Melbourne to Perth, travelers reported a loud bang. The pilots then switched off one engine. The plane was still able to land safely.